And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw [them], he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
Ver. 2. And he lift up his eyes and looked.] As "pursuing hospitality" (that is the apostle's expression, Rom 12:13), and waiting an opportunity of doing good. Charity is no churl. "The liberal man deviseth liberal things"; Isa 32:8 "he considereth the poor and needy". Psa 41:1 Praeoccupat vocem petituri, as Augustine expounds it, a he stays not till he is asked a good turn; he ministereth to the uses, not only "to the necessities b of the saints," as the apostle's word is, Rom 12:13 and as Bishop Hooper's and Dr Taylor's practice was. The one had his board of beggars sent for, and served every day with whole and wholesome meats, ere himself sat down to dinner. And the other went once a fortnight at the least, to the almshouse, and other poor men that had, many children, and were sick, to see what they lacked, and to supply them. c
And bowed himself toward the ground.] Piety is no enemy to courtesy; it doth not remove but rectify it, that it be not only complimental and ridiculous. Potest Augur Augurem videre et non ridere? d So it may be said of our common cringers.
a Aug. in Psalm ciii.
b ταις χρειαις Usibus, non necessitatibus. Nequis existimet prius non succurrendum proximo quam ad necessitatem sit redactus.
c Act. and Mon., fol. 1369, 1388.
d Cicero.